Water allocation is the process of equitable sharing of available water resources; therefore, it reflects an important component in the management and development of the water resources. The process can have a significant bearing on the availability of the water resource to meet domestic needs, environmental reserve and social-economic development. The process is important to ensure water security and alleviation of water use conflicts” (As per the 2018 Draft Tanzania Guidelines for the Water Allocation Plan).

Based on the limited availability of long-term hydrometeorological data, as well as the lack of hydrogeological information within the Mara River Catchment (MRC), alternately referred to as the Mara River Basin (MRB), the focus of the current water resources allocation lies within the scope of an assessment of the available surface water resources in the catchment.